What we're reading: May 2019

In this monthly blog post, members of the MATTER team highlight articles from across the web, and the occasional book or two, that cover some of the most relevant business and healthcare topics today.

The Heart of Power: Health and Politics in the Oval Office, David Blumenthal

“For many of our members at MATTER, it was a personal experience in healthcare that led them to take interest in this particular space and spend time, money and resources to solve a healthcare issue. Interestingly enough, similar personal stories have influenced every president of the United States, which have ultimately driven them to commit to specific health reforms (including ones that may be detrimental to their image or popularity). Heart of Power discusses modern presidents’ health experiences and how those experiences have shaped our healthcare policy over time.”

—Priyanca Kotwal, Program Associate

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, Michael Pollan

“Michael Pollan is a well-known author who has tackled an array of complex and daunting topics, but none so complex as in How to Change Your Mind. In this book, Pollan outlines the history of psychedelics in the psychiatry field in the mid-twentieth century, and then delves into the promising research being done at revered institutions like Johns Hopkins over the past 15 years. Some of the findings in the patient experiences he describes — whether in depression, alcohol addiction or anxiety and depression in terminally ill cancer patients — are nothing short of miraculous.“

—Rachel Lund, Partnerships Manager

The Health of Millennials, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

“Public health and the identification of unforeseen cost drivers are fascinating topics to me. Understanding the true breadth and depth of the disease states that generational segments face allow us to better understand how the healthcare space should respond. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association points out many of these factors in their recently published study looking at the health of the Millennial population.”

—Adam Seidler, Innovation Fellow